Shoe-lace fastener.



PATENTBD FEB? 14, 1905.

s. LIPKOWITS.

SHOE LACE PASTE-HER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30,1904.

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS Patented February 14, 1905 ATENT ries.

SARAH LIPKOWITS, OF YORK, N. Y.

SHOE-LACE FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 782,673, dated February 14, 1905.

Application filed November 30, 1904. fierial No. 234,871.

To mil whom 7'6 may concern:

Be it known that I, SARAH LIPKOWITS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Shoe-Lace Fastener, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to foot-gear; and its object is to provide a new and improved shoelace fastener or clasp forming an integral part of each flap of a laced shoe or boot and arranged to combine a top eyelet for the passage of the shoe-lace and a clamp for the end of the bow to hold the same at all times in proper position with a view to enhancing the appearance of the shoe on the wearers foot and to prevent the bow from becoming untied while the shoe is worn. 7

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will i be more fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improvement as applied. Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of the same, showing one of the clasps open; and Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation of the same on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

The laced shoe or boot A is provided on its flaps B B with rows of eyelets G for the passage of the shoe-lace Drand on the flaps B, at or near the upper ends thereof and in alinement with the eyelets .C, are arranged shoelace fasteners or clasps E E, arranged for the passage of the shoe-lace D and for holding the shoe-lace bow D in position, with a view to enhancing the appearance of the shoe and to prevent untying of the shoe-lace while the shoe is worn.

Each of the shoe-lace fasteners or clasps E consists of an eyelet E, secured to the corresponding flap B by having its rear end clenched over a washer E fitting against the under side of the corresponding flap B. The front end of the eyelet E is provided with an integral arm E extendingwith the eyelet E in alinement with the corresponding row of eyelets C, as plainly indicated in Fig. 2, and on the free end of the said arm E is formed a lugEf, on which is fulcrumed a retaining-lever E, adapted to overlie the eyelet E and thelarm E when the lever is in a closed position, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3. The re taining-lever is pressed on at its fulcrum end by springs E, preferably forming integral portions of the arm E to simplify the construction of the shoe-lace fastener or clasp as much as possible, it being understood that the said springs press against the heel of the clamping-lever E to hold the same firmly in a closed position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, or in an open right-angular position, as indicated to the right in Fig. 2 and in dotted lines in Fig. 3.

The clamping-lever E is rounded off transversely and in a longitudinal direction, so as to form an exceedingly smooth outer surface to prevent portions of the dress of the wearer from'being caught by the fastener. The under side of the clamping-lever E is somewhat concaved or recessed, as plainly shown in Fig.

3, to provide sufficient space between the un der side of the lever E and the arm E and its eyelet E for accommodating portions of the shoe-lacethat is, the terminal thereof and all or a portion of each loopto retain the latter in position, as indicated in Fig. 1. By having the lug E arranged as described it forms a stop for the portion of the shoe-lace retainedbetween the arm E eyelet E, and the under side of the clamping-lever E to prevent the shoe-lace from becoming entangled with the spring E.

In lacing the shoe the retaining-levers E are swung into an open position to permit the wearer to readily pass the ends of the shoelace through the corresponding eyelets E from the rear of the flaps, and when this has been done the terminals of the shoe-lace are drawn together in the usual manner and then the bow is tied, and after this has been done the terminals of the shoe-lace, as well as the en tire loop or only the rear portion thereof, are placed in position over the arms E and the eyelets E, and then the wearer swings the clampinglevers E into a closed position to hold the parts of the shoe-lace mentioned firmly in position to prevent the loops or bow from becoming untied, at the same time enhancing the appearance of the shoe by maintaining the bow of the shoe-lace in its proper shape.

The device is very simple and durable in construction and can be readily applied to laced shoes now in use, it being understood that the shoe-lace fastener in its entirety takes the position or place of the uppermost eyelets now in use.

Havingthus described my invention,I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A shoe-lace fastener comprising an eyelet for attachment to the upper end of the shoeiiap, to secure the fastener in position and to form a passage for the shoe-lace, an arm extending integrally from the eyelet at the front face thereof, and a spring-pressed retaininglever fulcrumed on the free end of the said arm and concaved at its under side, between the ends of the lever, the free end of the lever covering the eyelet and the said lever being rounded off, to provide a non-catching outer surface.

2. The combination of a shoe having flaps, and a row of eyelets on each flap, adjacent to the edge thereof, of shoe-lace fasteners attached, to the flaps near the upper ends thereof, each fastener comprising an eyelet approximately in alinement with the row of eyelets on the corresponding flap, the eyelet holding the fastener to the flap and forming a passage for the shoe-lace, an arm extending integrally from the front of the eyelet and in the directionof the corresponding row of eyelets, and a spring-pressed retaining-lever fulcrumed on the free end of the said arm and adapted to completely overlie the said eyelet and its integral arm, to retain portions of the shoe-lace between the eyelet, its arm and the said lever. y

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

W SARAH LIPKOWITS. l/Vitnesses:

'THEO. Gr. HOSTER,

EVERARD BOLTON MARsHALL. 

